Branton Matondo
The bigger chunk of youth in the border town of Mutare have gone craze with drug abuse due to idle minds and the continued scourge of poverty, a social custodian has said.
With majority of unemployed youth across the city’s suburbs falling prey to Methamphetamine better known as Guka or Mutoriro which is currently going for US$ 20 a gramme, marijuana, bronclere which is ranging between US$ 8 and 15, and other unknown drugs that make their way through the Mozambican border from a foreign channel, the future sanity of the city hangs on a pin.
Traditional leader and Director of Mhakwe Heritage Foundation Trust (an organization which rests on ubuntuism) Chief Svosve said it is high time responsible authorities take drastic measures because everyone should be alarmed and terrified by the spread of the social and medical evil.
“Let me hasten to say that everyone should be frightened because this challenge is affecting many youth especially those that are idle. The situation has been made worse by the sharp rise of poverty levels and lack of occupation. The dilemmas that we are facing as a city is that the industrial sector is no more and so are recreational facilities,” said Chief Svosve.
With majority of industries in Mutare closed, families have now turned to selling second hand clothing at dotted centres in Chikanga, Sakubva and agricultural produce that stream daily from surrounding areas like Honde Valley, Chipinge, Bocha, Rusape and Dora estate.
The high rate of competition in these two informal sectors has led to a sharp rise in poverty since most fail to face the competitive challenge. Chief Svosve added that high poverty level is the major culprit.
“Poverty is the chief cause. Drug abuse and spread of other illicit social deeds is all because of desperation to pass the day. It’s a matter of survival,” added the social custodian.
This publication got in touch with one drug addict from Hobhouse, a low density suburb in Mutare who spoke on condition of anonymity drugs were everywhere alleging that most houses are now drug taverns thereby enabling easy access.
“Gone are the days when we used to get drugs in remote locations and secluded places. At the moment people are now selling drugs in their backyards, especially marijuana and mutoriro because they know that hotspots like Motomoto and places like Old Nandos are now on police radar. It’s now a job and people are surviving on that. We know of backyard sellers in Sakubva who sell drugs 24/7,” said the source.
He added that the mixture of drugs and popular alcoholic beverage Teku Teku manufactured in Mutare and going for $1 for two bottles at retail price is the order of the day.
“Teku Teku is cheap and readily available. Doing drugs and drinking such at the same time is what makes the day here because we do not have anything to do,” added the source.
Cases of drug paddlers falling in the hands of Mutare Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Drugs and Narcotic Section have been common occurrences, one being recent arrest of drug suppliers in Sakubva, Dangamvura and Chikanga.
Police recovered 120 grammes of crystal meth and 15 kilograms of mbanje.
